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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Recycled Gift Idea- T-Shirt Scarf Tutorial

On Saturday when I should have been doing about a million other things, I decided to make scarves. Don't ask why. It was 70 degrees outside. Sometimes you just have to go with it.

I made one for my daughter first out of some knit fabric I had in my stash. I wanted something lightweight, easy, and very washable. I cut the flowers out of an old t-shirt and leggings of my daughters that were stained. I stitched around the whole in the middle of the flowers to attach them to the scarf.

I know the frowny face is just pitiful, huh?

Then I made my son a scarf using some fleece also from my stash. He even helped me cut the fringe. Sorry I forgot to take photos.

Then I decided I needed a scarf too. I wanted a lightweight one like Harper's, but couldn't find anything in my stash that I thought would work. So I went digging through my pile of old clothes that have been set aside for the perfect project. I found a t-shirt. It was a nice color and large enough for a scarf. So I decided I would make my scarf using this t-shirt. I even remembered to take photos so that I could share with you.

Here's the t-shirt.

Here's the t-shirt inside. Sorry the lighting wasn't very good.

Fold the t-shirt in half and make a cut 8 inches from the bottom hem. I decided to keep the bottom hem on, but you can always cut it off. Gumby also stopped by to help me with my scarf. He agrees that 8 inches is a good width.

Go ahead and make the cut. Sorry about that Gumby.

Trim the side seam. Now you have one long piece that is the length of the front and back of the t-shirt.

Cut another piece 8 inches from the bottom just like you did the first piece.

Cut with caution. Rotary cutters are sharp. Ouch.

Trim the side seam of the second piece. Now you have two pieces that are the exact same size.

Put the pieces right sides together and sew one short end together.

Like so.

Trim it up if you need to.

Now you have one very long scarf. When you stretch it out a little bit the knit fabric rolls at the edges. At least that is what mine did. I left the edges raw.

Now it's time to embellish if that tickles your fancy.

I cut several different sizes of circles from another t-shirt.

Ahhh.....pretty t-shirt circles......

I layered them together to form flowers and pinned them to the scarf.

I just stitched a line through the smallest circle to attach it to the scarf.

Ta-da. All done.

I am not sure how I like the flowers. I think I will probably go back and just have them on one side and add a couple more, but you get the idea. It would look great with no embellishment too.

I used the same method for the flowers on this headband and think it looks better with more flowers. I stitched the lines in different directions to make the flowers curl in different directions. Let me know if anyone else decides to make one. I would love to see it.

I love stopping by your blog. You always have such great ideas and you inspire me to recycle more things into what I create. The scarves are beautiful and you're daughter's expression is hilarious! Hope you guys have a hood holiday!